When thinking Key West, FL, most people think warm breezes, white beaches and frolicking in the sunshine…but what do you do on a rainy, cloudy day in this tropical paradise? Lots! Spaceman and I found ourselves in this situation not long ago and it is surprising how much fun you can have on such a day. One of the best perks of a stormy day is that the crowds disappear and the town becomes one for locals (and us, I’m sure we blended in well with our maps and cameras). Here are my top five things to do in Key West, Florida, on a rainy day…

1. Tropical storms are by nature sporadic moments of rain followed by mild cloudiness. This means that not all your time needs to be spent indoors. Between rain flurries, one spot to visit is the Key West Garden Club. For starters, it is free and staffed by volunteers who delight in educating visitors of the place’s history. It is home to the West Martello Tower, a Civil War fort and a National Historic Site, and the foliage is authentic tropics which you can wander through as you stroll the brick pathways.

2. As many of you may know by now, I am a lover of butterflies and Key West offers an extraordinary opportunity to experience and walk among them at  The Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory. There are hundreds of butterflies dancing among the plants and flowers while huge blue butterflies take a rest and float around within the air currents. Do not miss visiting this place.

3. Key West is home to the southernmost point buoy of the continental United States. A huge buoy marks the spot (although there is sidewalk behind it so you really must stand there to be accurate). Everyone queues up waiting to take a picture. On cloudy, rainy days this line thins dramatically so the wait is a snap.

4. (sorry no picture, I was focused on getting the window seat) When the rain starts up again, hop on-board one of the Old Town Trolley Tours. This is the original hop-on hop-off trolley tour on the island. It hits all the best spots and you can get on and off as much (or as little) as you like. I am a huge fan of seeing places this way as the drivers are usually locals and share all sorts of unknown tidbits (some of which is probably true!).

5. No trip is complete without an iced mocha with whipped cream at a locals’ spot. The best in town is Cafe Moka located on Duval Street. They have mochas I could have drunk all day, but then Spaceman would have had quite the challenge driving back to our hotel on another Key as I bounced around the car walls. Instead we ordered one and waited out a rain spatter on their plantation style patio slightly above street level and watched the people go by. (Side note, their key lime pie is delicious too.)

Next time I will give you the top five things to do on a sunny Key West, Florida. 🙂